PURSHOTAM DAS GOYAL vs HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. S. DHILLON AND ORS.

The Supreme Court held that under Section 19(1) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, an appeal lies as a matter of right only from orders that decide a substantive issue in contempt proceedings, not from mere notices issued to show cause. The Court clarified that the issuance of a notice under Section 17 does not constitute a decision on the merits of contempt, thus no appeal can be made at this stage. The appeal was dismissed as not maintainable, affirming the High Court's procedural order.